El Qahwa Khan

At 25 Orabi Street opposite the British Club in Maadi, El Qahwa Khan occupies a considered middle ground between the traditional ahwa and the modern specialty cafe. Islamic geometric tiling and rustic furniture recall the spirit of Arabian coffee culture, but the venue maintains a no-shisha, no-television policy that tilts the atmosphere toward quiet conversation, reading, and drawing. It has earned an unusually strong word-of-mouth reputation among Maadi residents seeking an unpretentious place to linger.